O'Reilly Automotive (ORLY) 10-Q 7 Nov 14 2014 Q3 Quarterly report Financial data

Document_and_Entity_Informatio

Document and Entity Information	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014	Nov. 03, 2014
Document and Entity Information	'	'
Document type	'10-Q	'
Amendment flag	'false	'
Document period end date	30-Sep-14	'
Document fiscal year focus	'2014	'
Current fiscal year end date	'--12-31	'
Document fiscal period focus	'Q3	'
Entity registrant name	'O REILLY AUTOMOTIVE INC	'
Entity central index key	'0000898173	'
Entity filer category	'Large Accelerated Filer	'
Entity common stock, shares outstanding	'	101,444,779

Condensed_Consolidated_Balance

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (USD $)	Sep. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Assets	'	'
Cash and cash equivalents	$298,283	$231,318	[1]
Accounts receivable, net	152,779	131,504	[1]
Amounts receivable from vendors	67,073	66,619	[1]
Inventory	2,517,927	2,375,047	[1]
Other current assets	34,689	30,713	[1]
Total current assets	3,070,751	2,835,201	[1]
Property and equipment, at cost	3,895,165	3,606,837	[1]
Less: accumulated depreciation and amortization	1,294,053	1,181,734	[1]
Net property and equipment	2,601,112	2,425,103	[1]
Notes receivable, less current portion	14,283	13,066	[1]
Goodwill	756,335	756,225	[1]
Other assets, net	32,695	37,613	[1]
Total assets	6,475,176	6,067,208	[1]
Liabilities and shareholders' equity	'	'
Accounts payable	2,409,054	2,056,521	[1]
Self-insurance reserves	65,632	57,700	[1]
Accrued payroll	71,451	65,520	[1]
Accrued benefits and withholdings	58,602	41,262	[1]
Deferred income taxes	21,039	20,222	[1]
Income taxes payable	18,645	'	[1]
Other current liabilities	201,475	181,718	[1]
Current portion of long-term debt	44	67	[1]
Total current liabilities	2,845,942	2,423,010	[1]
Long-term debt, less current portion	1,396,488	1,396,141	[1]
Deferred income taxes	61,789	80,713	[1]
Other liabilities	194,551	201,023	[1]
Shareholders' equity:	'	'
Common stock, $0.01 par value: Authorized shares - 245,000,000 Issued and outstanding shares - 102,393,366 as of September 30, 2014, and 105,939,766 as of December 31, 2013	1,024	1,059	[1]
Additional paid-in capital	1,168,741	1,118,929	[1]
Retained earnings	806,641	846,333	[1]
Total shareholders' equity	1,976,406	1,966,321	[1]
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	$6,475,176	$6,067,208	[1]
[1]	The balance sheet at December 31, 2013, has been derived from the audited consolidated financial statements at that date, but does not include all of the information and footnotes required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States for complete financial statements.

Condensed_Consolidated_Balance1

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Parenthetical) (USD $)	Sep. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Statement of Financial Position [Abstract]	'	'
Common stock, par value	$0.01	$0.01
Common stock, shares authorized	245,000,000	245,000,000
Common stock, shares issued	102,393,366	105,939,766
Common stock, shares outstanding	102,393,366	105,939,766

Condensed_Consolidated_Stateme

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013
Income Statement [Abstract]	'	'	'	'
Sales	$1,876,872	$1,728,025	$5,451,903	$5,028,003
Cost of goods sold, including warehouse and distribution expenses	908,671	848,862	2,655,109	2,478,302
Gross profit	968,201	879,163	2,796,794	2,549,701
Selling, general and administrative expenses	624,433	578,783	1,829,432	1,701,976
Operating income	343,768	300,380	967,362	847,725
Other income (expense):	'	'	'	'
Interest expense	-12,983	-13,295	-39,211	-36,162
Interest income	551	514	1,688	1,460
Other, net	982	690	2,237	2,022
Total other expense	-11,450	-12,091	-35,286	-32,680
Income before income taxes	332,318	288,289	932,076	815,045
Provision for income taxes	115,321	101,800	335,572	297,100
Net income	$216,997	$186,489	$596,504	$517,945
Earnings per share-basic:	'	'	'	'
Earnings per share - basic	$2.10	$1.72	$5.67	$4.71
Weighted-average common shares outstanding - basic	103,498	108,307	105,146	110,034
Earnings per share-assuming dilution:	'	'	'	'
Earnings per share - assuming dilution	$2.06	$1.69	$5.58	$4.63
Weighted-average common shares outstanding - assuming dilution	105,222	110,193	106,945	111,885

Condensed_Consolidated_Stateme1

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (USD $)	9 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2014		Sep. 30, 2013
Operating activities:	'		'
Net income	$596,504		$517,945
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:	'		'
Depreciation and amortization of property, equipment and intangibles	143,515		136,071
Amortization of debt discount and issuance costs	1,563		1,526
Excess tax benefit from stock options exercised	-32,296		-25,195
Deferred income taxes	-18,108		8,501
Share-based compensation programs	17,424		16,485
Other	3,801		4,635
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:	'		'
Accounts receivable	-26,167		-24,489
Inventory	-142,880		-88,206
Accounts payable	352,533		146,413
Income taxes payable	51,043		18,842
Other	36,022		7,320
Net cash provided by operating activities	982,954		719,848
Investing activities:	'		'
Purchases of property and equipment	-317,157		-299,511
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment	2,304		1,101
Payments received on notes receivable	2,770		3,905
Net cash used in investing activities	-312,083		-294,505
Financing activities:	'		'
Proceeds from the issuance of long-term debt	0		299,976
Payment of debt issuance costs	0		-2,967
Principal payments on capital leases	-54		-207
Repurchases of common stock	-687,154		-687,162
Excess tax benefit from stock options exercised	32,296		25,195
Net proceeds from issuance of common stock	51,006		54,702
Net cash used in financing activities	-603,906		-310,463
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents	66,965		114,880
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the period	231,318	[1]	248,128
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period	298,283		363,008
Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information:	'		'
Income taxes paid	308,029		271,898
Interest paid, net of capitalized interest	$47,173		$44,060
[1]	The balance sheet at December 31, 2013, has been derived from the audited consolidated financial statements at that date, but does not include all of the information and footnotes required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States for complete financial statements.

Basis_of_Presentation

Basis of Presentation	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]	'
Basis of presentation	'
	NOTE 1 - BASIS OF PRESENTATION
	The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements of O'Reilly Automotive, Inc. and its subsidiaries (the "Company" or "O'Reilly") have been prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles ("U.S. GAAP") for interim financial information and the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by U.S. GAAP for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. Operating results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014, are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ended December 31, 2014. For further information, refer to the consolidated financial statements and footnotes thereto included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013.

Fair_Value_Measurements

Fair Value Measurements	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Abstract]	'
Fair value measurements	'
	NOTE 2 – FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS
	The Company uses the fair value hierarchy, which prioritizes the inputs used to measure the fair value of certain of its financial instruments. The hierarchy gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1 measurement) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3 measurement). The Company uses the income and market approaches to determine the fair value of its assets and liabilities. The three levels of the fair value hierarchy are set forth below:
	•	Level 1 – Quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the reporting entity can access at the measurement date.
	•	Level 2 – Inputs other than quoted prices in active markets included within Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly.
	•	Level 3 – Unobservable inputs for the asset or liability.
	Non-financial assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis:
	Certain long-lived non-financial assets and liabilities may be required to be measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis in certain circumstances, including when there is evidence of impairment. These non-financial assets and liabilities may include assets acquired in a business combination or property and equipment that are determined to be impaired. As of September 30, 2014, and December 31, 2013, the Company did not have any non-financial assets or liabilities that had been measured at fair value subsequent to initial recognition.
	Fair value of financial instruments:
	The carrying amounts of the Company’s senior notes are included in “Long-term debt, less current portion” on the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets as of September 30, 2014, and December 31, 2013.
	The table below identifies the estimated fair value of the Company’s senior notes, using the market approach. The fair values as of September 30, 2014, and December 31, 2013, were determined by reference to quoted market prices of the same or similar instruments (Level 2) (in thousands):
		September 30, 2014				December 31, 2013
		Carrying Amount		Estimated Fair Value		Carrying Amount		Estimated Fair Value
	4.875% Senior Notes due 2021	$	497,788	$	548,188	$	497,525	$	524,434
	4.625% Senior Notes due 2021	$	299,637	$	325,432	$	299,598	$	310,141
	3.800% Senior Notes due 2022	$	299,084	$	307,882	$	299,011	$	290,453
	3.850% Senior Notes due 2023	$	299,979	$	307,859	$	299,976	$	289,362
	The accompanying Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets include other financial instruments, including cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, amounts receivable from vendors and accounts payable. Due to the short-term nature of these financial instruments, the Company believes that the carrying values of these instruments approximate their fair values.

LongTerm_Debt

Long-Term Debt	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]	'
Long-term debt	'
	NOTE 3 – LONG-TERM DEBT
	The following table identifies the amounts included in "Current portion of long-term debt" and "Long-term debt, less current portion" on the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets as of September 30, 2014, and December 31, 2013 (in thousands):
		September 30, 2014		December 31, 2013
	Revolving Credit Facility	$	—	$	—
	4.875% Senior Notes due 2021(1), effective interest rate of 4.967%	497,788		497,525
	4.625% Senior Notes due 2021(2), effective interest rate of 4.648%	299,637		299,598
	3.800% Senior Notes due 2022(3), effective interest rate of 3.845%	299,084		299,011
	3.850% Senior Notes due 2023(4), effective interest rate of 3.851%	299,979		299,976
	Capital leases	44		98
	Total debt and capital lease obligations	1,396,532		1,396,208
	Current portion of long-term debt	44		67
	Long-term debt, less current portion	$	1,396,488	$	1,396,141
	(1)	Net of unamortized discount of $2.2 million as of September 30, 2014, and $2.5 million as of December 31, 2013.
	(2)	Net of unamortized discount of $0.4 million as of September 30, 2014, and $0.4 million as of December 31, 2013.
	(3)	Net of unamortized discount of $0.9 million as of September 30, 2014, and $1.0 million as of December 31, 2013.
	(4)	Net of unamortized discount of less than $0.1 million as of September 30, 2014, and December 31, 2013.
	Unsecured revolving credit facility:
	In January of 2011, and as amended in September of 2011 and July of 2013, the Company entered into a credit agreement (the "Credit Agreement") for a five-year $600 million unsecured revolving credit facility (the "Revolving Credit Facility") arranged by Bank of America, N.A., which is scheduled to mature in July of 2018. The Credit Agreement includes a $200 million sub-limit for the issuance of letters of credit and a $75 million sub-limit for swing line borrowings under the Revolving Credit Facility. As described in the Credit Agreement governing the Revolving Credit Facility, the Company may, from time to time, subject to certain conditions, increase the aggregate commitments under the Revolving Credit Facility by up to $200 million. As of September 30, 2014, and December 31, 2013, the Company had outstanding letters of credit, primarily to support obligations related to workers’ compensation, general liability and other insurance policies, in the amount of $47.8 million and $51.7 million, respectively, reducing the aggregate availability under the Revolving Credit Facility by those amounts. As of September 30, 2014, and December 31, 2013, the Company had no outstanding borrowings under the Revolving Credit Facility.
	Borrowings under the Revolving Credit Facility (other than swing line loans) bear interest, at the Company’s option, at the Base Rate or Eurodollar Rate (both as defined in the Credit Agreement) plus an applicable margin. Swing line loans made under the Revolving Credit Facility bear interest at the Base Rate plus the applicable margin for Base Rate loans. In addition, the Company pays a facility fee on the aggregate amount of the commitments in an amount equal to a percentage of such commitments. The interest rate margins and facility fee are based upon the better of the ratings assigned to the Company’s debt by Moody’s Investor Service, Inc. and Standard & Poor’s Rating Services, subject to limited exceptions. As of September 30, 2014, based upon the Company's credit ratings, its margin for Base Rate loans was 0.000%, its margin for Eurodollar Rate loans was 0.975% and its facility fee was 0.150%.
	The Credit Agreement contains certain covenants, including limitations on indebtedness, a minimum consolidated fixed charge coverage ratio of 2.25 times through December 31, 2014, and 2.50 times thereafter through maturity, and a maximum consolidated leverage ratio of 3.00 times through maturity. The consolidated leverage ratio includes a calculation of adjusted debt to earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, rent and stock-based compensation expense. Adjusted debt includes outstanding debt, outstanding stand-by letters of credit and similar instruments, six-times rent expense and excludes any premium or discount recorded in conjunction with the issuance of long-term debt. In the event that the Company should default on any covenant contained within the Credit Agreement, certain actions may be taken, including, but not limited to, possible termination of credit extensions, immediate payment of outstanding principal amounts plus accrued interest and other amounts payable under the Credit Agreement and litigation from lenders. As of September 30, 2014, the Company remained in compliance with all covenants under the Credit Agreement.
	Senior notes:
	The Company has issued $1.4 billion aggregate principal amount of unsecured senior notes due between 2021 and 2023 with United Missouri Bank, N.A. ("UMB") as trustee. Interest on the unsecured notes of 3.800% to 4.875% is payable biannually and is computed on the basis of a 360-day year.
	The senior notes are guaranteed on a senior unsecured basis by each of the Company’s subsidiaries (“Subsidiary Guarantors”) that incurs or guarantees the Company’s obligations under the Company’s Revolving Credit Facility or certain other debt of the Company or any of the Subsidiary Guarantors. The guarantees are joint and several and full and unconditional, subject to certain customary automatic release provisions, including release of the subsidiary guarantor’s guarantee under the Company’s Credit Agreement and certain other debt, or, in certain circumstances, the sale or other disposition of a majority of the voting power of the capital interest in, or of all or substantially all of the property of, the subsidiary guarantor.  Each of the Subsidiary Guarantors is 100% owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company and the Company has no independent assets or operations other than those of its subsidiaries. The only direct or indirect subsidiaries of the Company that would not be Subsidiary Guarantors would be minor subsidiaries. Neither the Company, nor any of its Subsidiary Guarantors, are subject to any material or significant restrictions on the Company’s ability to obtain funds from its subsidiaries by dividend or loan or to transfer assets from such subsidiaries, except as provided by applicable law. Each of the senior notes is subject to certain customary covenants, with which the Company complied as of September 30, 2014.

Warranties

Warranties	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014
Product Warranties Disclosures [Abstract]	'
Warranties	'
	NOTE 4 – WARRANTIES
	The Company provides warranties on certain merchandise it sells with warranty periods ranging from 30 days to limited lifetime warranties. The risk of loss arising from warranty claims is typically the obligation of the Company's vendors. Certain vendors provide upfront allowances to the Company in lieu of accepting the obligation for warranty claims. For this merchandise, when sold, the Company bears the risk of loss associated with the cost of warranty claims. Differences between vendor allowances received by the Company in lieu of warranty obligations and estimated warranty expense are recorded as an adjustment to cost of sales. Estimated warranty costs are based on the historical failure rate of each individual product line. The Company's historical experience has been that failure rates are relatively consistent over time and that the ultimate cost of warranty claims to the Company has been driven by volume of units sold as opposed to fluctuations in failure rates or the variation of the cost of individual claims. The Company's product warranty liabilities are included in “Other current liabilities” on the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets as of September 30, 2014, and December 31, 2013.
	The following table identifies the changes in the Company’s aggregate product warranty liabilities for the nine months ended September 30, 2014 (in thousands):
	Balance at December 31, 2013	$	33,386
	Warranty claims	(39,635		)
	Warranty accruals	40,763
	Balance at September 30, 2014	$	34,514

Share_Repurchase_Program

Share Repurchase Program	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014
Proceeds from (Repurchase of) Equity [Abstract]	'
Share repurchase program	'
	NOTE 5 – SHARE REPURCHASE PROGRAM
	Under the Company's share repurchase program, as approved by the Board of Directors, the Company may, from time to time, repurchase shares of its common stock, solely through open market purchases effected through a broker dealer at prevailing market prices, based on a variety of factors such as price, corporate trading policy requirements and overall market conditions. The Company and its Board of Directors may increase or otherwise modify, renew, suspend or terminate the share repurchase program at any time, without prior notice. As announced on February 5, 2014, the Company's Board of Directors approved a resolution to increase the cumulative authorization amount by an additional $500 million and, as announced on August 13, 2014, the Company's Board of Directors approved a resolution to increase the cumulative authorization amount by an additional $500 million to $4.5 billion. The additional $500 million authorizations are each effective for three-year periods, which began on February 5, 2014, and August 13, 2014, respectively.
	The following table identifies shares of the Company’s common stock that have been repurchased as part of the Company’s publicly announced share repurchase program (in thousands, except per share data):
		For the Three Months Ended				For the Nine Months Ended
		September 30,				September 30,
		2014		2013		2014		2013
	Shares repurchased	2,542		1,534		4,564		6,548
	Average price per share	$	152.42	$	120.71	$	150.55	$	104.93
	Total investment	$	387,461	$	185,226	$	687,086	$	687,064
	As of September 30, 2014, the Company had $458.6 million remaining under its share repurchase program. Subsequent to the end of the third quarter and through November 7, 2014, the Company repurchased an additional 1.1 million shares of its common stock under its share repurchase program, at an average price of $151.05, for a total investment of $172.3 million. The Company has repurchased a total of 46.3 million shares of its common stock under its share repurchase program since the inception of the program in January of 2011 and through November 7, 2014, at an average price of $90.99, for a total aggregate investment of $4.2 billion.

ShareBased_Compensation

Share-Based Compensation	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014
Employee Benefits and Share-based Compensation [Abstract]	'
Share-based compensation	'
	NOTE 6 – SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION
	The Company recognizes share-based compensation expense based on the fair value of the grants, awards or shares at the time of the grant, award or issuance. Share-based compensation includes stock option awards issued under the Company’s employee incentive plans and director stock plan, restricted stock awarded under the Company’s employee incentive plans, performance incentive plan and director stock plan, stock issued through the Company’s employee stock purchase plan and stock awarded to employees through other benefit programs.
	Stock options:
	The Company’s stock-based incentive plans provide for the granting of stock options for the purchase of common stock of the Company to directors and certain key employees of the Company. Options are granted at an exercise price that is equal to the closing market price of the Company's common stock on the date of the grant. Director options granted under the plans expire after seven years and are fully vested after six months. Employee options granted under the plans expire after ten years and typically vest 25% per year, over four years. The Company records compensation expense for the grant date fair value of the option awards, adjusted for estimated forfeitures, evenly over the vesting period.
	The table below identifies stock option activity under these plans during the nine months ended September 30, 2014:
		Shares			Weighted-Average
		(in thousands)			Exercise Price
	Outstanding at December 31, 2013	5,227			$	54.11
	Granted	292			141.91
	Exercised	(943	)		46.1
	Forfeited	(202	)		85.38
	Outstanding at September 30, 2014	4,374			$	60.25
	Exercisable at September 30, 2014	2,882			$	41.37
	The fair value of each stock option award is estimated on the date of the grant using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. The Black-Scholes model requires the use of assumptions, including the risk free rate, expected life, expected volatility and expected dividend yield.
	•	Risk-free interest rate – The United States Treasury rates in effect at the time the options are granted for the options’ expected life.
	•
	•	Expected life - Represents the period of time that options granted are expected to be outstanding. The Company uses historical experience to estimate the expected life of options granted.
	•	Expected volatility – Measure of the amount by which the Company’s stock price has historically fluctuated.
	•	Expected dividend yield – The Company has not paid, nor does it have plans in the foreseeable future to pay, any dividends.
	The table below identifies the weighted-average assumptions used for stock options awarded during the nine months ended September 30, 2014 and 2013:
		For the Nine Months Ended
		September 30,
		2014				2013
	Risk free interest rate	1.6	%			0.89	%
	Expected life	5.3		Years		5.1		Years
	Expected volatility	25	%			32	%
	Expected dividend yield	—	%			—	%
	The Company’s forfeiture rate is the estimated percentage of options awarded that are expected to be forfeited or canceled prior to becoming fully vested. The Company’s estimate is evaluated periodically and is based upon historical experience at the time of evaluation and reduces expense ratably over the vesting period or the minimum required service period.
	The following table summarizes activity related to stock options awarded by the Company for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014 and 2013 (in thousands):
		For the Three Months Ended							For the Nine Months Ended
		September 30,							September 30,
		2014				2013			2014		2013
	Compensation expense for stock options awarded	$	4,184			$	4,341		$	13,978	$	13,579
	Income tax benefit from compensation expense related to stock options	1,548				1,656			5,173		5,180
	The weighted-average grant-date fair value of options granted during the nine months ended September 30, 2014, was $36.86 compared to $29.76 for the nine months ended September 30, 2013. The remaining unrecognized compensation expense related to unvested stock option awards at September 30, 2014, was $29.4 million and the weighted-average period of time over which this cost will be recognized is 2.3 years.
	Other share-based compensation plans:
	The Company sponsors other share-based compensation plans: an employee stock purchase plan (the “ESPP”), which permits all eligible employees to purchase shares of the Company’s common stock at 85% of the fair market value; a performance incentive plan, which provides for the award of shares of restricted stock to its corporate and senior management that vest evenly over a three-year period and are held in escrow until such vesting has occurred; and a director stock plan, which provides for the award of shares of restricted stock to the Company's independent directors that vest evenly over a three-year period and are held in escrow until such vesting has occurred. The fair value of shares awarded under these plans is based on the closing market price of the Company's common stock on the date of award, and compensation expense is recorded evenly over the vesting period.
	The table below summarizes activity related to the Company’s other share-based compensation and benefit plans for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014 and 2013 (in thousands):
		For the Three Months Ended							For the Nine Months Ended
		September 30,							September 30,
		2014				2013			2014		2013
	Compensation expense for shares issued under the ESPP	$	451			$	442		$	1,332	$	1,273
	Income tax benefit from compensation expense related to shares issued under the ESPP	167				169			493		486
	Compensation expense for restricted shares awarded	652				527			2,114		1,633
	Income tax benefit from compensation expense related to restricted awards	241				201			782		623

Earnings_Per_Share

Earnings Per Share	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]	'
Earnings per share	'
	NOTE 7 – EARNINGS PER SHARE
	The following table reconciles the numerator and denominator used in the basic and diluted earnings per share calculations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014 and 2013 (in thousands, except per share data):
		For the Three Months Ended				For the Nine Months Ended
		September 30,				September 30,
		2014		2013		2014		2013
	Numerator (basic and diluted):
	Net income	$	216,997	$	186,489	$	596,504	$	517,945
	Denominator:
	Denominator for basic earnings per share - weighted-average shares	103,498		108,307		105,146		110,034
	Effect of stock options (1)	1,724		1,886		1,799		1,851
	Denominator for diluted earnings per share - weighted-average shares	105,222		110,193		106,945		111,885
	Earnings per share:
	Earnings per share-basic	$	2.1	$	1.72	$	5.67	$	4.71
	Earnings per share-assuming dilution	$	2.06	$	1.69	$	5.58	$	4.63
	Antidilutive potential common shares not included in the calculation of diluted earnings per share:
	Stock options (1)	257		190		328		639
	Weighted-average exercise price per share of antidilutive stock options (1)	$	141.77	$	106.4	$	139.13	$	98.77
	(1)	See Note 6 for further discussion on the terms of the Company's share-based compensation plans.
	For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014 and 2013, the computation of diluted earnings per share did not include certain securities. These securities represent underlying stock options not included in the computation of diluted earnings per share, because the inclusion of such equity awards would have been antidilutive.
	Subsequent to the end of the third quarter and through November 7, 2014, the Company repurchased 1.1 million shares of its common stock, at an average price of $151.05, for a total investment of $172.3 million.

Legal_Matters

Legal Matters	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014
Loss Contingency [Abstract]	'
Legal matters	'
	NOTE 8 – LEGAL MATTERS
	O’Reilly is currently involved in litigation incidental to the ordinary conduct of the Company’s business. The Company records reserves for litigation losses in instances where a material adverse outcome is probable and the Company is able to reasonably estimate the probable loss. The Company reserves for an estimate of material legal costs to be incurred in pending litigation matters. Although the Company cannot ascertain the amount of liability that it may incur from any of these matters, it does not currently believe that, in the aggregate, these matters, taking into account applicable insurance and reserves, will have a material adverse effect on its consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows in a particular quarter or annual period.
	The Company received a subpoena from the District Attorney of the County of Alameda, along with other environmental prosecutorial offices in the state of California, seeking documents and information related to the handling, storage and disposal of hazardous waste. Management has an ongoing and open dialogue with these agencies regarding this matter and is cooperating fully with the request; however, at this time a prediction of the ultimate outcome of these efforts cannot be determined.
	In addition, O’Reilly was involved in resolving governmental investigations that were being conducted against CSK Auto Corporation ("CSK") and CSK’s former officers and other litigation, prior to its acquisition by O’Reilly in 2008, as described below.
	As previously reported, the governmental investigations of CSK regarding its legacy pre-acquisition accounting practices have concluded. All criminal charges against former employees of CSK related to its legacy pre-acquisition accounting practices, as well as the civil litigation filed against CSK’s former Chief Executive Officer by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), have concluded.
	Under Delaware law, the charter documents of the CSK entities, and certain indemnification agreements, CSK may have certain indemnification obligations. As a result of the CSK acquisition, O’Reilly has incurred legal fees and costs related to these potential indemnification obligations arising from the litigation commenced by the Department of Justice and SEC against CSK’s former employees. Whether those legal fees and costs are covered by CSK’s insurance is subject to uncertainty, and, given its complexity and scope, the final outcome cannot be predicted at this time. O’Reilly has a remaining reserve, with respect to the indemnification obligations of $12.1 million at September 30, 2014, which relates to the payment of those legal fees and costs already incurred. It is possible that in a particular quarter or annual period the Company’s results of operations and cash flows could be materially affected by resolution of such matter, depending, in part, upon the results of operations or cash flows for such period. However, at this time, management believes that the ultimate outcome of this matter, after consideration of applicable reserves, should not have a material adverse effect on the Company’s consolidated financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.

Recent_Accounting_Pronouncemen

Recent Accounting Pronouncements	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014
New Accounting Pronouncements and Changes in Accounting Principles [Abstract]	'
Recent accounting pronouncements	'
	NOTE 9 - RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS
	In May of 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Accounting Standard Update No. 2014-09, "Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606)" ("ASU 2014-09"). Under ASU 2014-09, an entity is required to follow a five-step process to determine the amount of revenue to recognize when promised goods or services are transferred to customers. ASU 2014-09 offers specific accounting guidance for costs to obtain or fulfill a contract with a customer. In addition, an entity is required to disclose sufficient information to understand the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers. ASU 2014-09 is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016, including periods within that reporting period, and can be adopted either retrospectively or as a cumulative effect adjustment at the date of adoption, with early adoption not permitted. The Company will adopt this guidance beginning with its first quarter ending March 31, 2017; the Company is in the process of evaluating the potential future impact, if any, of ASU 2014-09 on its consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows.
	In August of 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-15, "Presentation of Financial Statements - Going Concern (Subtopic 205-40)" ("ASU 2014-15"). ASU 2014-15 will require management to assess an entity's ability to continue as a going concern for each annual and interim reporting period and to provide related footnote disclosure in circumstances in which substantial doubt exists. ASU 2014-15 is effective for annual periods ending after December 15, 2016, and for annual periods and interim periods thereafter, with early application permitted. The Company will apply this guidance beginning with its annual period ending December 31, 2016; the application of this guidance affects disclosure only and, therefore, it is not expected to have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.

Fair_Value_Measurements_Polici

Fair Value Measurements (Policies)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Abstract]	'
Fair value of financial instruments, policy	'
	The Company uses the fair value hierarchy, which prioritizes the inputs used to measure the fair value of certain of its financial instruments. The hierarchy gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1 measurement) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3 measurement). The Company uses the income and market approaches to determine the fair value of its assets and liabilities.

Warranties_Policies

Warranties (Policies)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014
Product Warranties Disclosures [Abstract]	'
Warranties, policy	'
	The Company provides warranties on certain merchandise it sells with warranty periods ranging from 30 days to limited lifetime warranties. The risk of loss arising from warranty claims is typically the obligation of the Company's vendors. Certain vendors provide upfront allowances to the Company in lieu of accepting the obligation for warranty claims. For this merchandise, when sold, the Company bears the risk of loss associated with the cost of warranty claims. Differences between vendor allowances received by the Company in lieu of warranty obligations and estimated warranty expense are recorded as an adjustment to cost of sales. Estimated warranty costs are based on the historical failure rate of each individual product line. The Company's historical experience has been that failure rates are relatively consistent over time and that the ultimate cost of warranty claims to the Company has been driven by volume of units sold as opposed to fluctuations in failure rates or the variation of the cost of individual claims.

Recent_Accounting_Pronouncemen1

Recent Accounting Pronouncements Recent Accounting Pronouncements (Policies)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014
Accounting Policies [Abstract]	'
Recent accounting pronouncements, policy	'
	In May of 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Accounting Standard Update No. 2014-09, "Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606)" ("ASU 2014-09"). Under ASU 2014-09, an entity is required to follow a five-step process to determine the amount of revenue to recognize when promised goods or services are transferred to customers. ASU 2014-09 offers specific accounting guidance for costs to obtain or fulfill a contract with a customer. In addition, an entity is required to disclose sufficient information to understand the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers. ASU 2014-09 is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016, including periods within that reporting period, and can be adopted either retrospectively or as a cumulative effect adjustment at the date of adoption, with early adoption not permitted. The Company will adopt this guidance beginning with its first quarter ending March 31, 2017; the Company is in the process of evaluating the potential future impact, if any, of ASU 2014-09 on its consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows.
	In August of 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-15, "Presentation of Financial Statements - Going Concern (Subtopic 205-40)" ("ASU 2014-15"). ASU 2014-15 will require management to assess an entity's ability to continue as a going concern for each annual and interim reporting period and to provide related footnote disclosure in circumstances in which substantial doubt exists. ASU 2014-15 is effective for annual periods ending after December 15, 2016, and for annual periods and interim periods thereafter, with early application permitted. The Company will apply this guidance beginning with its annual period ending December 31, 2016; the application of this guidance affects disclosure only and, therefore, it is not expected to have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.

Fair_Value_Measurements_Tables

Fair Value Measurements (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Abstract]	'
Valuation of senior notes	'
		September 30, 2014				December 31, 2013
		Carrying Amount		Estimated Fair Value		Carrying Amount		Estimated Fair Value
	4.875% Senior Notes due 2021	$	497,788	$	548,188	$	497,525	$	524,434
	4.625% Senior Notes due 2021	$	299,637	$	325,432	$	299,598	$	310,141
	3.800% Senior Notes due 2022	$	299,084	$	307,882	$	299,011	$	290,453
	3.850% Senior Notes due 2023	$	299,979	$	307,859	$	299,976	$	289,362

LongTerm_Debt_Tables

Long-Term Debt (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]	'
Outstanding long-term debt and capital lease obligations	'
		September 30, 2014		December 31, 2013
	Revolving Credit Facility	$	—	$	—
	4.875% Senior Notes due 2021(1), effective interest rate of 4.967%	497,788		497,525
	4.625% Senior Notes due 2021(2), effective interest rate of 4.648%	299,637		299,598
	3.800% Senior Notes due 2022(3), effective interest rate of 3.845%	299,084		299,011
	3.850% Senior Notes due 2023(4), effective interest rate of 3.851%	299,979		299,976
	Capital leases	44		98
	Total debt and capital lease obligations	1,396,532		1,396,208
	Current portion of long-term debt	44		67
	Long-term debt, less current portion	$	1,396,488	$	1,396,141
	(1)	Net of unamortized discount of $2.2 million as of September 30, 2014, and $2.5 million as of December 31, 2013.
	(2)	Net of unamortized discount of $0.4 million as of September 30, 2014, and $0.4 million as of December 31, 2013.
	(3)	Net of unamortized discount of $0.9 million as of September 30, 2014, and $1.0 million as of December 31, 2013.
	(4)	Net of unamortized discount of less than $0.1 million as of September 30, 2014, and December 31, 2013.

Warranties_Tables

Warranties (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014
Product Warranties Disclosures [Abstract]	'
Product warranty liabilities	'
	Balance at December 31, 2013	$	33,386
	Warranty claims	(39,635		)
	Warranty accruals	40,763
	Balance at September 30, 2014	$	34,514

Share_Repurchase_Program_Table

Share Repurchase Program (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014
Proceeds from (Repurchase of) Equity [Abstract]	'
Schedule of shares repurchased	'
		For the Three Months Ended				For the Nine Months Ended
		September 30,				September 30,
		2014		2013		2014		2013
	Shares repurchased	2,542		1,534		4,564		6,548
	Average price per share	$	152.42	$	120.71	$	150.55	$	104.93
	Total investment	$	387,461	$	185,226	$	687,086	$	687,064

ShareBased_Compensation_Tables

Share-Based Compensation (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014
Stock Option [Member]	'
Summary of stock options	'
		Shares			Weighted-Average
		(in thousands)			Exercise Price
	Outstanding at December 31, 2013	5,227			$	54.11
	Granted	292			141.91
	Exercised	(943	)		46.1
	Forfeited	(202	)		85.38
	Outstanding at September 30, 2014	4,374			$	60.25
	Exercisable at September 30, 2014	2,882			$	41.37
Black-Scholes option pricing model	'
		For the Nine Months Ended
		September 30,
		2014				2013
	Risk free interest rate	1.6	%			0.89	%
	Expected life	5.3		Years		5.1		Years
	Expected volatility	25	%			32	%
	Expected dividend yield	—	%			—	%
Summary of activity of share-based compensation	'
		For the Three Months Ended							For the Nine Months Ended
		September 30,							September 30,
		2014				2013			2014		2013
	Compensation expense for stock options awarded	$	4,184			$	4,341		$	13,978	$	13,579
	Income tax benefit from compensation expense related to stock options	1,548				1,656			5,173		5,180
Restricted Stock [Member] | Employee Stock Purchase Plan [Member]	'
Summary of activity of share-based compensation	'
		For the Three Months Ended							For the Nine Months Ended
		September 30,							September 30,
		2014				2013			2014		2013
	Compensation expense for shares issued under the ESPP	$	451			$	442		$	1,332	$	1,273
	Income tax benefit from compensation expense related to shares issued under the ESPP	167				169			493		486
	Compensation expense for restricted shares awarded	652				527			2,114		1,633
	Income tax benefit from compensation expense related to restricted awards	241				201			782		623

Earnings_Per_Share_Tables

Earnings Per Share (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]	'
Computation of basic and diluted earnings per share	'
		For the Three Months Ended				For the Nine Months Ended
		September 30,				September 30,
		2014		2013		2014		2013
	Numerator (basic and diluted):
	Net income	$	216,997	$	186,489	$	596,504	$	517,945
	Denominator:
	Denominator for basic earnings per share - weighted-average shares	103,498		108,307		105,146		110,034
	Effect of stock options (1)	1,724		1,886		1,799		1,851
	Denominator for diluted earnings per share - weighted-average shares	105,222		110,193		106,945		111,885
	Earnings per share:
	Earnings per share-basic	$	2.1	$	1.72	$	5.67	$	4.71
	Earnings per share-assuming dilution	$	2.06	$	1.69	$	5.58	$	4.63
	Antidilutive potential common shares not included in the calculation of diluted earnings per share:
	Stock options (1)	257		190		328		639
	Weighted-average exercise price per share of antidilutive stock options (1)	$	141.77	$	106.4	$	139.13	$	98.77
	(1)	See Note 6 for further discussion on the terms of the Company's share-based compensation plans.

Fair_Value_Measurements_Narrat

Fair Value Measurements (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	Sep. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Abstract]	'	'
Non-financial assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis	$0	$0

Fair_Value_Measurements_Fair_V

Fair Value Measurements (Fair Value of Senior Notes) (Details) (USD $)	Sep. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Senior Notes due 2021 at 4.875% [Member]	'	'
Carrying amount of senior notes	$497,788	$497,525
Estimated fair value of senior notes	548,188	524,434
Senior Notes due 2021 at 4.625% [Member]	'	'
Carrying amount of senior notes	299,637	299,598
Estimated fair value of senior notes	325,432	310,141
Senior Notes due 2022 at 3.800% [Member]	'	'
Carrying amount of senior notes	299,084	299,011
Estimated fair value of senior notes	307,882	290,453
Senior Notes due 2023 at 3.850% [Member]	'	'
Carrying amount of senior notes	299,979	299,976
Estimated fair value of senior notes	$307,859	$289,362

LongTerm_Debt_Unsecured_Revolv

Long-Term Debt (Unsecured Revolving Credit Facility) (Details) (Unsecured debt [Member], Line of credit facility [Member], USD $)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
	Rate
Credit agreement inception date	14-Jan-11	'
Number of years in credit facility term	'5 years	'
Current maximum borrowing capacity under credit facility	$600,000,000	'
Line of credit facility expiration date	2-Jul-18	'
Maximum aggregate increase to credit facility	200,000,000	'
Letters of credit	47,800,000	51,700,000
Outstanding borrowings under credit facility	0	0
Line of credit facility fee percentage	0.15%	'
Covenant description for debt instrument	'The Credit Agreement contains certain covenants, including limitations on indebtedness, a minimum consolidated fixed charge coverage ratio of 2.25 times through December 31, 2014, and 2.50 times thereafter through maturity, and a maximum consolidated leverage ratio of 3.00 times through maturity. The consolidated leverage ratio includes a calculation of adjusted debt to earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, rent and stock-based compensation expense. Adjusted debt includes outstanding debt, outstanding stand-by letters of credit and similar instruments, six-times rent expense and excludes any premium or discount recorded in conjunction with the issuance of long-term debt. In the event that the Company should default on any covenant contained within the Credit Agreement, certain actions may be taken, including, but not limited to, possible termination of credit extensions, immediate payment of outstanding principal amounts plus accrued interest and other amounts payable under the Credit Agreement and litigation from lenders.	'
Line of credit facility covenant compliance	'As of September 30, 2014, the Company remained in compliance with all covenants under the Credit Agreement.	'
Amendment one [Member]	'	'
Credit agreement amendment date	9-Sep-11	'
Amendment two [Member]	'	'
Credit agreement amendment date	2-Jul-13	'
Letter of credit [Member]	'	'
Line of credit facility sublimit	200,000,000	'
Swing line revolver [Member]	'	'
Line of credit facility sublimit	$75,000,000	'
Spread over Eurodollar rate [Member]	'	'
Line of credit current interest rate	0.98%	'
Spread over Base rate [Member]	'	'
Line of credit current interest rate	0.00%	'
Through December 2014 [Member]	'	'
Minimum debt instrument consolidated fixed charge coverage ratio covenant	2.25	'
Through maturity [Member]	'	'
Minimum debt instrument consolidated fixed charge coverage ratio covenant	2.5	'
Maximum debt instrument consolidated leverage ratio covenant	3	'

LongTerm_Debt_Senior_Notes_Det

Long-Term Debt (Senior Notes) (Details) (USD $)	9 Months Ended
In Billions, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2014
	D
	Rate
Aggregate principle of unsecured senior notes	$1.40
Interest rate of notes, minimum	3.80%
Interest rate of notes, maximum	4.88%
Number of days in annual interest calculation period	360
Debt instrument covenant description	'Each of the senior notes is subject to certain customary covenants, with which the Company complied as of September 30, 2014.

LongTerm_Debt_Outstanding_Long

Long-Term Debt (Outstanding Long-Term Debt) (Details) (USD $)	Sep. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Revolving Credit Facility	$0	$0
Capital leases	44,000	98,000
Total debt and capital lease obligation	1,396,532,000	1,396,208,000
Current portion of long-term debt	44,000	67,000	[1]
Long-term debt, less current portion	1,396,488,000	1,396,141,000	[1]
Senior Notes due 2021 at 4.875% [Member]	'	'
Senior notes	497,788,000	497,525,000
Senior notes, unamortized discount	2,200,000	2,500,000
Effective interest rate	4.97%	'
Senior Notes due 2021 at 4.625% [Member]	'	'
Senior notes	299,637,000	299,598,000
Senior notes, unamortized discount	400,000	400,000
Effective interest rate	4.65%	'
Senior Notes due 2022 at 3.800% [Member]	'	'
Senior notes	299,084,000	299,011,000
Senior notes, unamortized discount	900,000	1,000,000
Effective interest rate	3.85%	'
Senior Notes due 2023 at 3.850% [Member]	'	'
Senior notes	299,979,000	299,976,000
Senior notes, unamortized discount	$100,000	$100,000
Effective interest rate	3.85%	'
[1]	The balance sheet at December 31, 2013, has been derived from the audited consolidated financial statements at that date, but does not include all of the information and footnotes required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States for complete financial statements.

Warranties_Product_Warranty_Li

Warranties (Product Warranty Liabilities) (Details) (USD $)	9 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2014
Product Warranties Disclosures [Abstract]	'
Balance at December 31, 2013	$33,386
Warranty claims	-39,635
Warranty accruals	40,763
Balance at September 30, 2014	$34,514

Share_Repurchase_Program_Narra

Share Repurchase Program (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	0 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		1 Months Ended	46 Months Ended
Share data in Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	Aug. 13, 2014	Feb. 05, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Nov. 07, 2014	Nov. 07, 2014
							Subsequent Event [Member]	Subsequent Event [Member]
Share repurchase program	'	'	'	'	'	'	'	'
Increase in authorized amount	$500,000,000	$500,000,000	'	'	'	'	'	'
Cumulative authorized amount	4,500,000,000	'	'	'	'	'	'	'
Authorization effective period	'3 years	'3 years	'	'	'	'	'	'
Remaining balance under share repurchase program	'	'	458,600,000	'	458,600,000	'	'	'
Common stock repurchased, shares	'	'	2,542	1,534	4,564	6,548	1,100	46,300
Common stock repurchased, average price per share	'	'	$152.42	$120.71	$150.55	$104.93	$151.05	$90.99
Common stock repurchased, value	'	'	$387,461,000	$185,226,000	$687,086,000	$687,064,000	$172,300,000	$4,200,000,000

Share_Repurchase_Program_Sched

Share Repurchase Program (Schedule Of Shares Repurchased) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013
Proceeds from (Repurchase of) Equity [Abstract]	'	'	'	'
Shares repurchased	2,542	1,534	4,564	6,548
Average price per share	$152.42	$120.71	$150.55	$104.93
Total investment	$387,461	$185,226	$687,086	$687,064

ShareBased_Compensation_Stock_

Share-Based Compensation (Stock Option Narrative) (Details) (Stock Option [Member], USD $)	9 Months Ended
In Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013
Vesting of options description	'The Company’s stock-based incentive plans provide for the granting of stock options for the purchase of common stock of the Company to directors and certain key employees of the Company. Options are granted at an exercise price that is equal to the closing market price of the Company's common stock on the date of the grant. Director options granted under the plans expire after seven years and are fully vested after six months. Employee options granted under the plans expire after ten years and typically vest 25% per year, over four years. The Company records compensation expense for the grant date fair value of the option awards, adjusted for estimated forfeitures, evenly over the vesting period.	'
Weighted-average grant date fair value of options awarded	$36.86	$29.76
Remaining unrecognized compensation expense	$29.40	'
Weighted-average period for cost recognition	'2 years 3 months 23 days	'
Director [Member]	'	'
Options expiration date	'7 years	'
Vesting period	'6 months	'
Employee Stock Option [Member]	'	'
Options expiration date	'10 years	'
Vesting period	'4 years	'
Option vesting rate per year	25.00%	'

ShareBased_Compensation_Other_

Share-Based Compensation (Other Share-Based Compensation) (Narrative) (Details)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014
	Rate
Employee Stock Purchase Plan [Member]	'
Other employee benefit plan description	'an employee stock purchase plan (the “ESPP”), which permits all eligible employees to purchase shares of the Company’s common stock at 85% of the fair market value
Employee stock purchase plan stock purchase percentage	85.00%
Restricted Stock [Member]	'
Other employee benefit plan description	'a performance incentive plan, which provides for the award of shares of restricted stock to its corporate and senior management that vest evenly over a three-year period and are held in escrow until such vesting has occurred; and a director stock plan, which provides for the award of shares of restricted stock to the Company's independent directors that vest evenly over a three-year period and are held in escrow until such vesting has occurred. The fair value of shares awarded under these plans is based on the closing market price of the Company's common stock on the date of award, and compensation expense is recorded evenly over the vesting period
Vesting period	'3 years

ShareBased_Compensation_Summar

Share-Based Compensation (Summary Of Stock Options) (Details) (Stock Option [Member], USD $)	9 Months Ended
In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2014
Stock Option [Member]	'
Outstanding at December 31, 2013, shares	5,227
Outstanding at December 31, 2013, weighted-average exercise price	$54.11
Granted, shares	292
Granted, weighted-average exercise price	$141.91
Exercised, shares	-943
Exercised, weighted-average exercise price	$46.10
Forfeited, shares	-202
Forfeited, weighted-average exercise price	$85.38
Outstanding at September 30, 2014, shares	4,374
Outstanding at September 30, 2014, weighted-average exercise price	$60.25
Exercisable at September 30, 2014, shares	2,882
Exercisable at September 30, 2014, weighted-average exercise price	$41.37

ShareBased_Compensation_BlackS

Share-Based Compensation (Black-Scholes Option Pricing Model) (Details) (Stock Option [Member])	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013
	Rate	Rate
Stock Option [Member]	'	'
Risk-free interest rate	1.60%	0.89%
Expected life	'5 years 4 months 4 days	'5 years 1 month 6 days
Expected volatility	25.00%	32.00%
Expected dividend yield	0.00%	0.00%

ShareBased_Compensation_Stock_1

Share-Based Compensation (Stock Option Activity) (Details) (Stock Option [Member], USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013
Stock Option [Member]	'	'	'	'
Compensation expense for benefit plans	$4,184	$4,341	$13,978	$13,579
Income tax benefit from compensation expense for benefit plans	$1,548	$1,656	$5,173	$5,180

ShareBased_Compensation_Other_1

Share-Based Compensation (Other Share-Based Compensation Activity) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013
Employee Stock Purchase Plan [Member]	'	'	'	'
Compensation expense for benefit plans	$451	$442	$1,332	$1,273
Income tax benefit from compensation expense for benefit plans	167	169	493	486
Restricted Stock [Member]	'	'	'	'
Compensation expense for benefit plans	652	527	2,114	1,633
Income tax benefit from compensation expense for benefit plans	$241	$201	$782	$623

Earnings_Per_Share_Narrative_D

Earnings Per Share (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		1 Months Ended	46 Months Ended
In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Nov. 07, 2014	Nov. 07, 2014
					Subsequent Event [Member]	Subsequent Event [Member]
Earnings Per Share, Diluted, by Common Class, Including Two Class Method [Line Items]	'	'	'	'	'	'
Common stock repurchased, shares	2,542	1,534	4,564	6,548	1,100	46,300
Common stock repurchased, average price per share	$152.42	$120.71	$150.55	$104.93	$151.05	$90.99
Common stock repurchased, value	$387,461	$185,226	$687,086	$687,064	$172,300	$4,200,000

Earnings_Per_Share_Computation

Earnings Per Share (Computation of Basic and Diluted Earnings Per Share) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended				9 Months Ended
In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2014		Sep. 30, 2013		Sep. 30, 2014		Sep. 30, 2013
Numerator (basic and diluted):	'		'		'		'
Net income	$216,997		$186,489		$596,504		$517,945
Denominator:	'		'		'		'
Denominator for basic earnings per share - weighted-average shares	103,498		108,307		105,146		110,034
Effect of stock options	1,724	[1]	1,886	[1]	1,799	[1]	1,851	[1]
Denominator for diluted earnings per share - weighted-average shares	105,222		110,193		106,945		111,885
Earnings per share - basic	$2.10		$1.72		$5.67		$4.71
Earnings per share - assuming dilution	$2.06		$1.69		$5.58		$4.63
Antidilutive stock options	257	[1]	190	[1]	328	[1]	639	[1]
Weighted-average exercise price	$141.77	[1]	$106.40	[1]	$139.13	[1]	$98.77	[1]
[1]	See Note 6 for further discussion on the terms of the Company's share-based compensation plans.

Legal_Matters_Details

Legal Matters (Details) (USD $)	9 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2014
Loss Contingency [Abstract]	'
Legacy CSK DOJ indemnity litigation reserve	$12.10